Christmas tree sale to support Boy Scout troop at Good Shepherd

November 24, 2012

Instead of Black Friday shopping, local Boy Scouts, scouting officials and supporters of Boy Scout Troop 110 started selling holiday trees at Good Shepherd Church the day after Thanksgiving.

The sale will continue until all 350 trees are gone.

"Or Christmas, whichever comes sooner," said Scoutmaster James Guillard. "We have always had great support from the community and usually sell out."

The tree lot is at the Good Shepherd Church and School at the corner of Hancock Bridge Parkway and Orange Grove Boulevard, on the border of North Fort Myers and Cape Coral.

Guillard, a Business Systems Analyst - Project Coordinator Information Systems at Lee Memorial Health System, said, "We have troop members from both North Fort Myers and Cape Coral. This is our eighth year of doing the sale. All of the profits go directly to the scouts for activities, many of which are camping."

Boy Scout Aaron Rieser was the first scout on the scene Friday helping dad and Assistant Scout Master Larry Rieser get trees ready for the sale. He's a North Fort Myers resident and student who attends Cape Christian Academy.

"It's a good way to raise money," Aaron Rieser said. "The sale helps with camp, mainly gas and supplies for summer camp, which is great. Last year we went to Georgia, this year we are going to North Carolina."

All the scouts pitch in for the sale, said Guillard.

"They all take turns on the lot," he said.

His assistant scoutmasters help as well. They include Larry Riser, Jay Wyatt, Joel Martinez, Peter Joseph and Ben Guy.

"We're all parents of scouts," he said. "Currently we have about 25 active boys in the troop."

Scouting is important because it gives the boys healthy activities.

"It keeps them away from drugs and alcohol and, in my opinion, gives them a good moral foundation," he said.

The trees are Fraser firs.

"We get them from a company in Sparta, NC. We've been doing business with the same company since we started and customers tell us every year the trees last well into January."

The hours for the sale are Monday through Friday 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 to 8 p.m.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School is at 4770 Orange Grove Blvd., North Fort Myers. For information, call 995-7711.